A permanent resident is an individual who has the right to remain in the United States on an indefinite or permanent basis. He or she has the right to work in and go to school in the United States and otherwise take advantage of the rights and privileges of living in the United States. A permanent resident is not a citizen, however. Instead, he or she is awarded a green card that indicates resident status. The resident is allowed to remain a citizen of another country. It is possible to become a permanent resident in a number of ways, including sponsorship by a family member or through an employer. However, there are a number of qualifying criteria that must be met before resident status is granted. To learn more about the different ways of obtaining this immigration status, refer to the articles and answers to frequently asked questions in this section.